Interview with Roger Hearing

British civilian journalist with BBC World Affairs in Zambia, Mozambique, Angola, South Africa, Namibia, Burma, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Lebanon and Israel-Palestine, 1987-2022, during the civil wars in Angola and Mozambique, the Gulf War, the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, the UN intervention in Somalia, the genocide in Rwanda, the invasion of Afghanistan, the Iraq War and the 2006 Lebanon War.

REEL 1 Background and early career in GB, 1960-1986: family history, both parents were teachers; circumstances of parents meeting at London University when both reading English; mother née Standley; one elder brother, film lecturer at Bournemouth University; academic family background, early encouragement in study of history; family move to Dorset, age 4, due to father’s profession; distant memories of early life in London; entering Hardy’s Grammar School, Dorchester, via eleven-plus examination; focus on sport at school, old-fashioned environment; no interest in sport; many staff were ex-military, some showed signs of war trauma; influence of teacher Peter Green, Latin and Greek master; extent of school; self-identity as a rebellious Marxist or anarchist; interest in Latin and Greek; tolerant atmosphere of open debate at school; early awareness of social justice and socialism, carried into later life; level of academic achievement at school leaving age; expectation of entering higher education, ambition to enter Cambridge University; attending Downing College, Cambridge University reading Classics; meeting Prof. John Chadwick, later his tutor; switching to history; lack of focus on future career; awareness of threat during Cold War period; following news and current affairs coverage; meeting visiting tutor, BBC journalist Brian Redhead; political activism with Social Democratic Party (SDP), working with David Owen MP, helping to establish a student SDP group with (Dr) Timothy Brittain-Catlin (nephew of Dame Shirley Williams); motivation for changing subject at Cambridge University; opportunity to pursue pure study through state education grant; question of conflict over campaigning for social justice and own privileged upbringing; shock at social conditions in north east England when election canvassing with Bill Rogers MP; leisure trip to Turkey and Greece. REEL 2 continues: founder member of SDP; accommodation and living conditions during university years; leisure pursuits, taking part in drama productions; little ambition to pursue a political career; failed application to BBC; academic influence of Dr Jana Howlett; graduating BA upper second in history & classics, 1982; contact with home, support by parents; period of unemployment following graduation; application to Foreign & Commonwealth Office, interest by security service, signing Official Secrets Act, not resulting in employment; working as election agent for SDP candidate Simon Head in South Dorset during 1983 general election; selected to teach English in Sudan, not taken up after accepting offer of post-graduate diploma study in journalism at City University, London, supporting application with an interview with controversial journalist; approach letter from SIS section of Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), question of personal recommendation, family connection with security services (aunt Catherine Standley worked at FCO during 1950s); attending post-graduate course in journalism at City University, 1983; accommodation in north London; modular structure of diploma course in print journalism, led by Prof. John Dodge; fellow student Dermot Murnaghan; taking up student membership of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ); memories of national miners’ strike; work placements with Southern Echo in Southampton, and the Birmingham Post; application to Birmingham Post on graduation; explanation of indentured apprenticeship scheme in local newspaper industry while achieving NCTJ (National Council for the Training of Journalists) qualification; perception of graduates in local newspaper journalism; opinion that the training scheme was archaic; difficulty of achieving required shorthand speed of 125-words per minute; low pay levels; determination not to call upon parents for financial assistance; limited opportunity for social life; posting to Walsall Observer newspaper; awareness of poverty in local area; working unsocial hours at the Sandwell Mail in West Bromwich; impressions of Birmingham, dislike of environment, lack of motivation. REEL 3 continues: nature if role and working conditions at Birmingham Post; shift work as night reporter; examples of news stories reported at the time; anecdote detailing example of racism in reporting policy at Birmingham Post in 1986; example of archaic working practices and trade union agreements during the period; reputation of Birmingham Post as a regional daily paper; portfolio of titles within the company group; memories of first published story; character of editorial staff at Birmingham Post newspapers, hostility towards journalism graduates; compromising of personal values in attempting to fit in with workplace culture; lack of motivation; pay levels; ambition to work on international affairs; impressions during visit to Syria in 1986, witnessing aspects of Lebanese war; question of personal security while in Syria, need to conceal profession; interest in Middle East region in light of travelling there; memories of difficulty in exiting Turkey while travelling at time of military coup in 1980; developing field skills as a result of independent travel; ambition to leave local newspaper journalism; ambition to work at the BBC, applications to local radio; motivation to switch to broadcast journalism; application to BBC World Service newsroom as sub-editor, 1987; passing the BBC newsroom test in international affairs; lack of practical experience in radio production, nature of role as a newsroom sub-editor; working practices during the period; adapting writing style to broadcast; declining offer of post of literary editor at Birmingham Post. Recollections of period as a journalist with the BBC, 7/1987-2023: relief of fitting into a working environment with shared cultural values. REEL 4 continues: description of BBC Bush House, London; nature of role as sub-editor; system of translating news bulletins for foreign language broadcasts; awareness of BBC World Service output prior to joining the BBC; receiving on-the-job training; demographic of newsroom staff; method for writing broadcast news stories; progressing to bulletin writing and studio production; unsuccessful application to position of chief sub-editor; cautious nature in BBC World Service editorial practice; protocol of minimum of two sources for a news story; anecdote of failure in practice; awareness of impact of BBC overseas broadcasts; eclectic character of editorial staff; fitting into cultural environment of BBC newsroom; working conditions, difficulties of long overnight shifts, low pay levels; question of security vetting at BBC External Services during the period; further description of Bush House, “monumental, full of history”; challenges of working in a non-purpose built environment; adapting working practices to tight deadlines, working to the second; reaction of family and friends on joining the BBC; pride in the job; relationship between the BBC External Services and the FCO, question of editorial freedom, wider cultural context within the BBC; governance of editorial caution; unaware of any government influence on BBC External Services; perception of editorial independence in light of government funding model; mission to broadcast impartial information rather than policy; analogy to providing overseas aid; applying journalistic rigour to maintain high standards, need for balance; standards around editorial narrative in covering a global news agenda; growing journalistic skills at BBC; distant relationship with domestic BBC news department, lack of shared output; usefulness of BBC Monitoring Service as a news source; opportunity to work as a sponsored overseas reporter (stringer); choice of posting to Tunis or Lusaka. REEL 5 continues: contractual nature of sponsored reporter role, opportunities to work for other news organisations; random selection process competing with colleague David Bamford, (posted to Tunis); limited nature of broadcast and field-work training; lack of continuity in taking up posting; travel to Lusaka via BBC bureau in Nairobi; rules governing filing material for other news outlets, including Time magazine, Associated Press, Daily Telegraph, Guardian; anticipation of posting; arrival in Lusaka, temporary hotel accommodation; character of domestic staff in temporary accommodation; establishing permanent base; reason for provision of a Telex machine; question of attractiveness of postings, motivation for taking up post; brief duration of visit to Nairobi, meeting BBC East Africa Correspondent Mike Wooldridge; relative inexperience in broadcast work; credentials to work as BBC Central Africa Reporter; risk of breaching territory of BBC correspondent in Harare, Zimbabwe; extent of reporting area covering Mozambique, Angola, Zaire, Malawi, Zambia, South Africa; main purpose of posting to cover activity of ANC headquarters in exile in Lusaka; description of aftermath of bomb attack on ANC headquarters in Lusaka by South African Bureau of State Security (BOSS); preparations prior to posting; initial impressions on arrival in Lusaka; need to sound authoritative during broadcasts; scarcity of technical facilities, method of field recording and transmitting material to BBC Traffic news intake unit in London; pitching for commissions; editorial interest in regional stories; filing non-commissioned material in hope of gaining attention; usefulness of BBC African service, working relationship with BBC ‘Focus on Africa’ editor Robin White; engaging in two-way despatches with BBC ‘Network Africa’ programme; attitude to being paid to do such work; gaining confidence to convey expertise and authority on air; pay rates for broadcast material, difficulties of foreign exchange, nature of shadow economy in Zambia, unofficial exchange rate for Zambian Kwacha; description of domestic and workplace arrangements, character of domestic staff; travelling to South Africa for purchase of car; suggestion that location aided credibility on air; technical method for transmitting material to BBC news intake unit in London; difficulty of telephone interception by Zambian authorities; protocols for telephone security, use of unofficial code words, referring to “Ipswich” as code for Johannesburg; difficulties of interruption of telephone service due to local weather conditions, filing material in advance of deadline to overcome loss of service. REEL 6 continues: establishing local contacts in Lusaka, advantages of BBC’s reputation, contact with President Kenneth Kauda’s press department; contact with ANC press officer; contact with SWAPO (Namibia); contact with diplomatic and foreign surveillance operatives in Lusaka, awareness of CIA officers working in the region; method of gleaning information for stories from a wide range of sources; attitude of Zambian government to foreign press representatives; difficulties of BBC reporting of Zambian government policies; observation of obvious corruption in Zambian government; memories of attempted coup in north of the country, anecdote of meeting military contact at the Livingstone Hotel, Lusaka; explanation of CIA operation and its diplomatic links to the US embassy in Lusaka; assessment of US-Zambian relations during the Cold War period; progress of the Angolan civil war resulting from press conference attended by Jonas Savimbi (UNITA) and President Dos Santos (Angola), hosted by Kenneth Kaunda following meeting of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in Brazzaville; RH was prompted by US ambassador to question the exile status of Svimbi following the agreement, later denials by Savimbi, resumption of hostilities shortly afterwards; question of influence of US diplomats; assessment of influence of BBC broadcasts to the region; effects of broadcasts by Radio RSA from powerful transmitters in South Africa, possibility of programmes being mistaken for BBC broadcasts; no evidence of radio jamming by South Africa; contact with listeners; local awareness of BBC vernacular broadcasts to the region, including Portuguese; question of impact of broadcasts by ANC clandestine radio station Radio Freedom; making contact with ANC ‘government in exile’, ineffectiveness of ANC press operation; character of Oliver Tambo, Thabo Mbeki (ANC), Jacob Zuma (Umkhonto we Sizwe, MK); hearing rumours of rights violations in the Quatro camps (MK training camps in Angola), no access to the camps, inability to verify reports; strict border controls; character of Joe Slovo (South African Communist Party, SACP), his discomfort over liberal (Perestroika) reforms taking place in the Soviet Union during the period; ANC attitude towards Zambian political and civil society; Zambian government attitude towards ANC, pride in hosting anti-apartheid liberation movement; assessment of Joe Slovo’s attitude towards the end of the Cold War; security measures at ANC headquarters in Lusaka, question of fear of attack; opinion that UK and USA were supporting Zambian government in approach to background negotiations to resolve regional conflict. REEL 7 continues: question of safety and security in Lusaka; perception of Zambia as a relatively safe place in the region; poor condition of infrastructure; tailing off of cross-border raids by South African security service, continuing letter bomb attacks; border security with neighbouring states; visits by official delegations from South Africa; little awareness of secret meetings between South African government and ANC; memories of liberal white delegation to ANC in Lusaka, inclusion in the ANC delegation of a controversial undercover MK operative; secret nature of Operation Vula; difficulties of access to Oliver Tambo, interviewing him; significance of end of South African occupation of Namibia; assessment of relationship between ANC, SACP, MK; access to ANC press department, slow response by Tom Sebina (ANC press officer); tension between ANC exiles and activists who remained in South Africa; ineffective military operation by MK; meeting MK officers; question of effects of exile on ANC leaders; little awareness that apartheid was coming to an end at this time; secrecy surrounding Operation Vula and Operation Bible, their links to Nelson Mandela, little obvious strategic planning by ANC; influence of Angola war on Afrikaner leadership, eg. General Magnus Malan (South African Defence Minister), ‘Pik’ Botha (Foreign Minister); realisation in Pretoria that change was inevitable with the end of the Cold War; status of diplomatic relations between Zambia and South Africa; interviewing Pik Botha (National Party) at conference organised by Chester Crocker (US Assistant Secretary of State) in (Congo) Brazzaville; influence of US foreign policy on Pretoria; flying to Windhoek with SWAPO delegation to witness Namibian independence; relations with foreign press corps in Lusaka, forming the Zambian Foreign Correspondents Association; filing reports to Associated Press via Harare; circumventing BBC cutbacks by filing stories as second (confirming) source leading to payment for BBC material; working with Pascal Fletcher (Reuters); social events hosted by British High Commission; visits to Luangwa Safari Park, Victoria Falls; understated character of Zambian colloquial English; anecdote of reaction of RH’s aunt on exposure to such language; contact with local media outlets, appearing on Zambian breakfast television with senior government official. REEL 8 continues: contact with diplomatic corps in Lusaka; working relationship with British Council; anecdote of removing a copy of the book Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie from the British Council library for security reasons; knowledge of British security services activity in Zambia and the region; sourcing news stories via diplomatic off-the-record briefings; no liaison with BBC Monitoring station in Nairobi; significance of proxy wars in frontline states; story of tour of frontline states, at the time of Nelson Mandela’s birthday, by UK opposition politician Neil Kinnock, coverage of the tour in Mozambique by British tabloid newspapers, Zimbabwean air force flight landing at the wrong airfield in Harare by mistake, entire entourage arrested and held under armed guard; eventually liberation by Zimbabwean government officials and relocation to the Troutbeck Hotel, subsequent rush by British reporters to file the story to London newsrooms, and Private Eye front page feature; significance of British government support for Mozambique; anecdote of meeting British railway engineers providing rail infrastructure and security support for the Malawi to Beira tobacco line to counteract RENAMO attacks; making use of state-of-the-art INMARSAT satellite equipment to file report to London when visiting a Finnish mission station in Mozambique; working routine of returning to base in Lusaka in order to file stories to BBC London; awareness of telephone interception when working in Mozambique and Angola; duration of field trips away from base; practical difficulties of financing field trips to Luanda; pitching stories to BBC in London to secure commissions; use of primitive Tandy laptop computer, sending newspaper copy electronically via telephone interface, problems of compatibility with Angolan telecoms infrastructure; character of female Angolan government handler; examples of open British support for Mozambique, presence of British military advisers; extent of Soviet support in the region, visible participation of Cuban military personnel in Angola war; invitation to visit Soviet embassy in Luanda; assessment of impact of Soviet forces in ending apartheid; extent of South African support for Mozambiquan resistance group RENAMO; few direct cross border incursions into Mozambique by South African forces at the time. REEL 9 continues: assessment that Angola was a hotter war than that in Mozambique; significance of Battle of Cuito Cuanavale; real fear in Pretoria of Angolan incursion into South African territory; lack of pretence that Namibia was independent of South Africa; obvious Soviet support for Angola; theory (supported by CIA intelligence) that former Angolan President Agostinho Neto was assassinated by Soviet government to bring Eduardo Dos Santos to power; opinion that the Angola-Namibia border was regarded as the Cold War frontline in 1988/9; limited awareness in Europe of regional situation during the period, but widespread interest in and support for anti-apartheid struggle demonstrated by continuous picket of South Africa House, London; awareness in southern Africa of European support for anti-apartheid struggle; difficulties of field trips to frontline states, anecdote of staying at run-down hotel in Huambo, Angola; example of deterioration of infrastructure following fall of Portuguese colonial government in 1974; dominance of Soviet military in Angola, lack of infrastructure development, nature of failing economy; difficulties of working in Angola, reporting restrictions limited news coverage; contact with MPLA officials, no access to UNITA personnel; discomfort when making ‘corkscrew’ landing approach at regional airfield to avoid attack by Stinger missiles; extent of personal risk when working in Angola and Mozambique; awareness of Cuban military forces in Angola, example of Cuban enterprise in Luanda, purchasing Cuban cigars locally; difficulty of contact with local people in Angola; fashion of Angolan personnel to adopt nom de guerre; permanently escorted by government security officers in Angola; balancing risk against gathering news stories, difficulty of funding field work; collaboration with fellow foreign press representatives, anecdote of working with Reuters journalist and staying at hotel in Zambia infested by bees; question of trust when working with local translators; risks facing foreign press in the region during the period, danger of road accidents; rise of AIDS epidemic; risk of tropical disease; lack of support by BBC, personal planning for emergencies, protocol of escape route south via Zimbabwe and into South Africa; example of driving to Lake Kariba and crossing border to buy bread during supply crisis in Zambia; South Africa regarded as safe haven by white foreigners; question of national identity, presence of British ex-patriate community in Zambia; extent and ease of border crossings, avoiding passport stamps when entering and exiting South Africa; Air Zambia and Air Zimbabwe avoided border sanctions; anecdote of ANC official Steve Tshwete falling asleep on flight with risk of landing in Johannesburg by accident; awareness of approach of end of apartheid in light of Battle of Cuito Cuanavale; realisation in Pretoria that military campaign could not be won, change in public opinion in South Africa; significance of political rise of FW de Klerk in change in policy in South Africa; taking holiday in South Africa at end of tour of duty, witnessing Archbishop Desmond Tutu protesting at Cape Town cathedral; legacy of ‘petty apartheid’ in 1989; returning to London via Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, Hawaii, and the United States; promotion to chief sub-editor, career ambitions on return to London; securing post in domestic radio. REEL 10 continues: contact with other liberation movement organisations, Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), COSATU, etc.; dominance of ANC in liberation struggle; reflection on experience gained during first foreign posting to Lusaka; self-analysis of effectiveness of reporting the story in southern Africa; perception of expertise by colleagues on return to London, opinion that in the BBC “an expert is someone who knows more than the person they’re talking to”; career ambitions at the time; application to World at One programme (WATO) for reporter role (10/1989), freelance nature of fee-paid contract for tax purposes; appetite amongst domestic news outlets for foreign news during the period; move towards improving foreign news coverage at the BBC following the fall of the Berlin Wall (11/1989); character of programme editor Roger Mosey; personal circumstances at time of fall of Berlin Wall, feeling uninvolved in the story; lack of opportunity to highlight significance of Africa in the story of the Cold War; ambition to return to field work outside of Europe; motivation for applying to WATO; increasing personal interest in Middle East; promoting coverage of foreign news during editorial meetings; making telephone contact with Eastern Bloc nations at the end of the Cold War; character of BBC News editorial staff Kevin Marsh, Rod Liddle, James Naughtie, Nick Clarke, Gordon Clough; acceptance as an experienced foreign affairs reporter on move from World Service to domestic radio news department; promoting the inclusion of local experts when reporting foreign news, attempting to push a foreign news agenda in domestic radio; distant relationship between World Service and domestic outlets; cultural character of domestic news agenda; making use of contacts established during Africa posting; reaction to exposure to a domestic audience; explanation of contractual obligation at this time; improvement in pay and conditions; discussion of industrial relations at the BBC during the period; nature of working hours; domestic situation, purchase of house, contrasts with earlier overseas posting, ambition to return to foreign posting; impact of Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, development of war in Former Yugoslavia; analysis of end of Iran-Iraq War, 8/1988 and developments in the region thereafter; sources available during the pre-internet era; hearing news of Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. REEL 11 continues: process of applying for visa to enter Iraq; lack of preparation within domestic newsroom in covering the story; surprise at granting of press visa by Iraqi embassy in London; planning to travel to Iraq via Jordan prior to imposition of no-fly zone; lack of training and advice prior to posting; planning for emergencies, establishing code words to alert newsgathering department to adverse conditions, e.g. “dragon”; first BBC journalist to enter Iraq in early 9/1990; arrival of BBC TV Foreign News Editor John Simpson; establishing base in Al Rashid Hotel, Baghdad; surveillance by security services; growing presence of foreign press corps; extent of surveillance and communications interception by Iraqi security services; detention of foreign nationals by Iraq, their use as ‘human shields’; use of code word ‘Eric’ to refer to Saddam Hussein when contacting BBC newsroom; difficulties encountered by journalists normally based in Israel; witnessing arrival of the ‘human shield’ hostages in Baghdad, plans by British embassy staff to take safe custody of hostages; aggressive behaviour by Iraqi military towards RH, risk of detention, rescue by embassy staff; question of press credentials; filing story live into BBC TV news from British embassy; extent of technical facilities available for filing news reports, difficulties of United Nations (UN) sanctions preventing satellite communications equipment being imported into Iraq; anticipation of duration of posting; reporting for multiple BBC outlets; difficulties of working long hours, fatigue; learning new ways of working in the field; stockpiling of provisions in hotel by international press corps; limited duration of visa, rapid turnover of field staff; nervousness over covering a high profile international story, concern over making mistakes; return posting to Baghdad at the time of resignation of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, 11/1990; covering release of human shield hostages, filing urgent live report via BBC News Traffic unit, stress reaction to pressurised situation; method for relaxation and emotional recovery from stress; playing gambling games using Iraqi local currency, use of black market exchange leading to huge advantage when making expenses claims at official rate; presence of high profile personalities, including Muhammad Ali, in attempts to negotiate peaceful settlement; contrasts with earlier posting to Lusaka regarding level of support from BBC headquarters; confinement of international press within Baghdad, no possibility of entering and reporting from Kuwait; focus on human shield story; witnessing build up of western coalition troops on borders of Iraq, feelings of inevitable advance towards war; increased appetite within BBC News for coverage from the region, especially after deployment of British military personnel, leading to rolling news service on BBC Radio 4; launch of split broadcast stream on FM service known colloquially as ‘Skud FM’, 16/1/1991; staffing by high profile presenters James Naughtie, Robin Lustig, Brian Redhead; role of Duty Diplomatic Correspondent in filling long periods of air time. REEL 12 continues: launch of continuous news service on BBC Radio 4 FM network to cover western allied military response to Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, 24/1/1991; maintaining continuous output through speculation and analysis, question of filling airtime, use of news agency material; broadcasting news of RAF pilots captured by Iraqi forces and presented on television; official title of news network ‘News FM’, colloquially known as ‘Skud FM’; anticipation of duration of war; US pledge to avoid invading Iraq; frustration of covering story from London newsroom; method of establishing contact with reporters in the field; knowledge of internal insurgency in Iraq; establishment of no-fly zones in north and south of Iraq; posting to Bermuda to report summit between British Prime Minister John Major and US President Bush; anecdote of John Major assisting in repair of tape recorder during interview on board official flight; character of John Major, his commitment to assist Iraqi Kurdish population; opportunity to use expertise during broadcasts; commentating at RAF Lyneham on homecoming of British hostages formerly held in Lebanon, including John McCarthy; nature of role of BBC Diplomatic Correspondent; audience and political reaction to innovation of continuous broadcast news service, use of new technology; question of BBC operating outside of its brief, Government reaction to coverage; contrasts with BBC coverage of Falklands conflict in 1982; ground-breaking nature of continuous coverage; impact on career; possibility of audience interest in the story waning following UN Resolution-686; anticipation of developments in Iraqi politics; interest in Soviet Union, posting to Nagorno Karabakh, 1991; explanation of conflict there in the context of the end of the collapse of the USSR and end of Cold War; travelling via Moscow and Baku; rapid changes in the region during posting, impressions of chaotic situation; seeing Russian peacekeeping troops in Aghdam; social contact with Russian soldiers; nature of the conflict, witnessing unravelling of Soviet Union; difficulty of explaining the war to a British radio audience; BBC news management reaction to coverage. REEL 13 continues: employing local staff as fixers and translators; description of fixer’s dacha in Dagestan, slaughtering of a sheep in RH’s honour; method for recruiting local staff; lack of personal protection in a conflict zone; question of insurance; receiving nuclear-biological-chemical (NBC) warfare safety training at UK Government’s Defence, Science, and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), Porton Down, exposure to CS gas; relaxed culture surrounding safety training during the period; nature of risks, including arrest or kidnap; arrangements for paying local staff in cash; entry visa requirements to enter Russia, crossing borders; witnessing war damage, encountering Russian soldiers; contact with local people, explanation of territorial conflict, atmosphere of fear and bewilderment; no awareness of reported atrocities at the time; dominance of dissolution of the USSR in the news agenda; posting to Delhi to cover Indian elections, 1991; reporting of Sikh rebellion in Punjab, 1991; analysis of inter-ethnic and communal conflict in India; BBC’s reputation in India, reference to BBC correspondent Mark Tully; interviewing Hindu nationalist leader Bal Thackeray (d.2012); impact of violence during the 1991 India election, rise of extreme nationalist political groups; hearing of assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, 21/5/1991, the relation to conflict in Sri Lanka; difficulty of understanding complex political conflict in the region; question of seeking ‘good news stories’, the importance of simply reporting and analysing; motivation to produce good quality journalism; covering domestic news; complexion of news coverage during the period; reporting on Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) Maoist insurgency in Peru, threat to journalists; explanation of leader Abimael Guzmán’s doctrine, interviewing ‘Senderistas’ in prison; reference to BBC journalist John Simpson; ambition prior to posting to Peru; no contact with BBC Latin America service; analysis of guerrilla insurgency in Peru; question of foreign intelligence operations in the region; contrasts with posting to east and southern Africa, lack of language skills; question of trust when working in translation; posting to Burma (Myanmar), 1991, tendency of journalists to enter the country on tourist visas. REEL 14 continues: posting to Burma (Myanmar) in 1992; restrictions on foreign press entering the country; invitation and hosting by military regime; accompanied by Burmese security officer at all times; limited access to opposition politicians; visiting conflict zone in Arakan region on Bangladesh border; crossing border to Cox’s Bazar; official briefings on ‘Rohingya terrorism’; discussing Burma with BBC reported Christopher Gunness prior to departure; ethical compromise of accepting government invitation to visit; witnessing a drug destruction operation in Golden Triangle region, area controlled by the Shan State Army dominated by Red Flag Communist movement; experiencing food poisoning the night before trip north leading to rumours that RH had been poisoned by Burmese government; visiting Pagan Temples (Bagan); anecdote of a local guide speaking unguarded and granting recorded interview about destruction of a local village while in the presence of government official; ethical dilemma over broadcasting of the interview, question of putting sources at risk, attempts to disguise interviewee’s voice; discussion around protection of sources; contact with members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) and ‘Generation 88’ activists who were unwilling to record interviews; scarcity of foreign press in Burma during the period; early trials in ‘multi-platform’ reporting, limited gathering of video material; focus on long-form journalism, no opportunity for live reporting; challenges of distilling a complex subject in limited time available in radio news; failed attempts to interview NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi; impressions of British colonial legacy in Burma; influence, reputation, and reach of BBC Burmese Service; interviewing senior generals in the Burmese government; posting to Angola to cover peace negotiations, 1993; arriving in Luanda without luggage, practical assistance by Belgian Sabena airways; evidence of rudimentary reconstruction; impressions of Angola during the period, complex financial, commercial, and currency system; evidence of war damage in south of the country; anecdote of infection by putzi (tumbu) fly, investigation and treatment at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, method of infection; discussion about malaria; reason for posting to Angola; meeting BBC Southern Africa Correspondent (John Harrison d.1994). REEL 15 continues: adapting to working in television news on attachment to Newsnight, 3/1993, nature of role as TV reporter; motivation for pursuing television experience; extent of resources available for TV production; range of news stories covered by the programme, including instability in Russia and the rise of Boris Yeltsin; balance of home and foreign news; challenges of reporting the financial affairs of BBC Director General John Birt, the scandal became known as ‘Armani-gate’; being ejected form BBC premises while covering the story; learning the technical craft of TV production; changes in cultural relationship between radio and television news departments, development of ‘One BBC’ policy; danger of compromise in production standards due to bi-media techniques; unsuccessful application for post of East Africa Correspondent, taking up the post after the favoured candidate (Humphrey Hawksley) withdrew, reason for Hawksley’s withdrawal; based in Nairobi; question over RH’s tax and employment status reflecting the DG’s own arrangements, financial disadvantages of freelance contract; expected duration of posting; reaction of romantic partner to overseas posting; extent of BBC’s operation in Nairobi, reputation of Nairobi as a ‘media hub’ in east Africa; presence of United Nations in the region; contrasts with situation in Lusaka during earlier posting; sharing facilities with Voice-of-America (VOA); semi-diplomatic role of BBC staff in the region; funding and resource conflict between domestic and World Service news departments, description of hierarchy and organisation of BBC’s operation in east Africa, character of retained reporter (stringer), dysfunctional working relationships; freedom in pursuing stories, commission resources; meeting former colleagues from earlier posting; extent of coverage area, including Ethiopia, Sudan, Eritrea, Somalia, Tanzania, Indian Ocean, Madagascar; occasional need to provide support in South Africa; description of accommodation; nature of social life in Nairobi. REEL 16 continues: impressions of Nairobi during the period; reputation of the BBC in east Africa, contact with diplomatic corps; domestic political complexion; extent of commerce, deprivation and poverty; security countermeasures at BBC bureau; contact with foreign press corps; shared broadcast facilities and liaison with VOA, question of tainting of BBC’s impartiality through relationship with VOA; extent of restrictions on freedom of foreign press in Kenya, covering domestic stories there; contact with diplomatic, and aid agency community; description of United Nations facilities in Kenya; planning news agenda in the region, dominance of situation in Somalia; knowledge of US Operation Restore Hope prior to posting; explanation of political and military conflict in Somalia during early 1990s; impressions of chaotic situation in Mogadishu, a state of ‘anarchy’; influence of climate and crop failures in the country, difficulties of under-resourced refugee camps; motivation for US President George HW Bush to initiate Operation Restore Hope; temporary restoration of peace in the early stages, handover to UN peacekeeping force, 1993; breakdown of relationship between militia groups and UN forces, influence of militia leader Mohamed Farah Aideed; ‘green line’ division of Mogadishu; fatal attack on Pakistani UN peacekeepers by Aideed’s forces; US Admiral Jonathan Howe’s pursuit of Aideed; difficulties and risks facing journalists working in Mogadishu, use of Hotel Sahafi by foreign press; arrangements for personal security; advice of colleagues when planning entry to Somalia; description of Mogadishu Airport; risks when travelling between secure compounds within the city; question of journalists carrying personal firearms; feeling at risk; deployment of AC-130 Spectre gunships by US forces to attack Somali National Alliance (SNA) forces; risks of newsgathering in close combat situations; danger of crossfire from small arms fire; character of rebel militiamen; rocket propelled grenade (RPG) attacks on US helicopters by SNA insurgents. REEL 17 continues: description of Hotel Sahafi, the journalists’ compound in Mogadishu; security protocols at the hotel; use of ‘khat’ narcotic by local security staff; militia’s respect for journalists’ compound, their relationship and use of the press corps; professional relationship with press photographer Daniel Eldon (d.12/7/1993), his death by lynching when investigating the US massacre of Somali clan elders; change in mood amongst foreign press corps following this incident; explanation of the term ‘Battle of Mogadishu’ dramatized in film drama Black Hawk Down detailing the death of 18 US Army Rangers; perception locally of UN peacekeepers in Somalia; description of Pakistani UN peacekeepers’ fatally firing on Aideed-supporting demonstrators; self-censorship of broadcast report of aftermath of attack for reasons of sensitivity; UN denials of RH’s eyewitness report of the incident; marginal impact of broadcast report; opinion that UN lied about, and covered up the incident; knowledge of UN peacekeepers’ rules-of-engagement; US forces not under direct command of UN; story of US Army pilot (Michael Durant) held captive by SNA forces; meeting and interviewing General Aideed, hearing his account of the UN attack; description of covert journey to Aideed’s press conference; change in US tactics by President Bill Clinton; eventual withdrawal of US military forces, 1994; witnessing nervous reaction of US Army gunner on hearing a car backfiring; ineffectiveness of UN mission in Somalia; European Union funding for failed attempt to restore the 1961 Code of Justice in Somalia, which would have included restoring the death penalty; description of street battle between armed vehicles known locally as ‘technicals; eventual supply of body armour to RH, improvements in local staffing levels; difficulties of working in body armour in hot climate; receiving kidnap threats; reputation of BBC Somali Service in the country; impact of BBC Somali Service broadcasts; personal reception when visiting a refugee camp; awareness that his reports in English were being rebroadcast in Somali translation, increased importance of impartiality. REEL 18 continues: changed expectations for news coverage on arrival in Mogadishu; witnessing modern battle techniques and equipment, first encounter with drone warfare; opinion that US forces were out of their depth, comparison with Vietnam War; analysis of the conflict; coming to terms with post-Cold War global influences, legacy of Italian colonial period; story of the ambush and murder of Italian journalist Ilaria Alpi (d.20/4/1994) and her cameraman of RAI Television; witnessing and reporting aftermath of Alpi’s death, working with producer Carlos Mavrolio who filmed the scene for ABC’s ’60-Minutes’ programme; lack of interest in the story, opinion that Somalia had become a routine story at this time; summonsed to Italian Government inquiry in Rome as a witness 11-years later, revelations concerning alleged Italian Government corruption in supplying weapons to Somali rebels, learning that Carlos Mavrolio had been found dead in Afghanistan in suspicious circumstances making RH the sole surviving witness to Alpi’s murder; feelings of vulnerability in light of this; uncertain outcome of the affair; dysfunctional nature of diplomatic operations in Somalia; difficulty of financial and commercial system without a functioning currency in the country; use of US Dollars as working currency; cost of BBC operation in Somalia; evidence of foreign intelligence operatives, CIA etc, in Somalia; analysis of the challenges facing international aid operation in Somalia; conclusion in 1995 that the UN would have to eventually withdraw and be replaced by US forces; source of weapons supply in east Africa during post-Cold War period; exploitation of natural resources in Somalia; witnessing UN evacuation by US forces; instances of journalists kidnapped by their own bodyguards; US use of ‘non-lethal weapons’, including ‘magic doughnuts’ and ‘glue-guns’; deciding to stay in Mogadishu following UN evacuation; observing and reporting the departure from the hotel roof; anecdote of colleague buying a suitcase of cannabis, using the narcotic while watching the UN departure; planning personal departure, chartering a commercial aircraft on BBC’s instruction, selling tickets to fellow foreign press corps; motivation for remaining in Mogadishu following UN departure. REEL 19 continues: duration of posting to Somalia during period as BBC East Africa Correspondent; reflection on experience in Somalia, analysis of situation at time of departure; order imposed on the nation by Islamic courts militia; recording the sound of a person being flogged; rise of Islamic fundamentalist movement in border town of Luk (Luuq); question of American awareness of embryonic growth of Islamic terrorism in Somalia; assessment of professional achievement during posting to Somalia; feeling a ‘sense of adventure’ while working in the country, a sense of invulnerability, enjoying high level of access to main protagonists in the conflict; appreciation of the nation and affinity with the people; extent of contact with local population; tribal nature of foreign press corps; coping strategies in stressful and dangerous situations, coping with death of colleagues; question of journalists carrying firearms; filing material for US networks when US journalists were evacuated; attack on CNN news team, assistance from US forces; level of personal protection afforded by BBC’s reputation; character of Italian journalist Massimo Alberizzi, recovery of his car following its theft; cultural legacy of Italian colonial period; travel to Somaliland and Djibouti; analysis of failure of international mission to Somalia, US ignorance of clan system and Somali culture; professional and personal lessons learned in Somalia; difficulties of explaining the complex situation to a British audience; benefits of having worked in the country; question of benefits of journalists’ presence in conflict situations; nature of BBC Somali Service operation in Somalia. REEL 20 continues: covering conflict in Rwanda with colleague Mark Doyle; explanation of origins of ethnic conflict between Tutsi and Hutu ethnic groups; difficulties of historical racial ideology of the imperialist and colonial period of the 1930s; growth in cross-border incursions in the north by Tutsi Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) militia; impact on the region of the end of the Cold War; formulation of peace process in 1993 (The Arusha Accords); political involvement of Burundi; significance of the shooting down of presidential flight over Kigali, 4/1994; reasons for little previous coverage of the region by BBC News; becoming aware of start of campaign of genocide against Tutsi community around April 1994; base at Hôtel des Mille Collines, Kigali with foreign press corps, later becoming a sanctuary for displaced persons; military tactics of RPF, advance on Kigali from Uganda border area in the north; motivation to present balanced coverage of the military and political conflict; working with cameraman Bhasker (Bas) Solanki; travelling in road convoy from Bujumbura to cross border into Rwanda in company with journalist Annabel Hesletine (daughter of British politician); obtaining personal protective equipment and local currency prior to border crossing; political relationship between Burundi and Rwanda during the period; risks due to poor condition of hired vehicles. Witnessing scene of massacre outside of Kigali, seeing corpses with hands tied behind their backs inside a truck; first witnessing of the ’Hundred days of genocide’; difficulty of television coverage of such scenes; question of self-censorship and journalistic ethics; general use by news media of emotive terminology such as ‘genocide’; importance of careful and accurate reporting; stopping at base of interim Hutu government south of Kigali; reflection on meeting political leaders later convicted of war crimes. REEL 21 continues: entering Kigali with Hutu Minister of Defence on 16/4/1994; difficulty of passing through roadblocks manned by irregular militia; risks of carrying a Ugandan reporter in group, need to disguise his identity from Hutu militia; threat of use of hand grenade by militia; witnessing scene of attack in Kigali, difficulty of identifying victims; seeing people being killed in machete attacks at checkpoints, personal reaction to horrific scenes of killings; systematic nature of massacres; assessment of personal risk; difficulty in identifying a frontline, thought to be around parliament building; withdrawing from scene to assess camera footage with aim to file material to London from Burundi; overnight stay in village; reaching Bujumbura and eventually Nairobi; editorial debate over broadcasting of graphic and disturbing footage; assessment of personal risk, reflections on hand grenade threat at checkpoint; Solanki’s need for post-trauma counselling; question of personal risk threshold when working in conflict zones, reflections on true nature of Rwanda situation, motivation to report the story impartially; difficulty in understanding the deep historical and cultural complexities of Rwandan society, challenge of reflecting this in news reports, misuse of simplistic terms such as ‘tribal violence’; pressure to simplify story for domestic audiences; conclusion that an inaccurate narrative had been presented; practical difficulties of re-entering Rwanda for further coverage; manipulation of media by RPF; difficulties of uncovering the truth. REEL 22 continues: character of news cameraman Bhasker (Bas) Solanki; importance of support team in TV newsgathering; vulnerability of camera operators, exposure to trauma; question of BBC’s duty of care towards staff in the field, level of personal protection; practicality of funding field work, need to pay bribes to obtain visas and facilitate border crossings; BBC management’s attitude towards expenses claims including bribery; use of satellite phones to file material to base; limited contact with aid agencies; complexion of United Nations Assistance Mission in Rwanda (UNAMIR) force, reasons for its reduction in size, 4/1994; effectiveness of French-Canadian UN force led by General Roméo Dellaire; UN assistance towards foreign press corps; description of NATO field rations; memories of gun attack while staying in hotel on frontline in Kigali, during which an Argentinian AP photographer was injured; basic living conditions in UN requisitioned hotel; evidence of shell attacks; discussion of UN-RPF relations, assessment of effectiveness of Operation Turquoise, impression of incompetence in UN leadership; distraction of the war in Bosnia; impact of BBC Swahili Service broadcasts to the region; liaison amongst BBC staff in the field, question of interdepartmental rivalry; personal scepticism over significance of the Rwanda story at the time; question of exploiting the situation in Rwanda for campaigning purposes in the West, simplification of the narrative for questionable purposes. REEL 23 continues: description of numerous excursions into Rwanda via UN transport aircraft; threat level at Kigali airport; filming corpses floating in river on Tanzanian border; planning multi-faceted coverage of the story, contact with aid agencies; memories of overnight stay in a Kigali school, the site of a former massacre; collapse of interim government, massive and rapid influx of Hutu refugees into Zaire (now DRC) via border town of Goma; shift of media focus onto the refugee story; the difficulty of establishing refugee camps established in volcanic rock landscape, outbreak of cholera; contact with refugees; reflections on personal reaction while reporting in close proximity to dying refugees; accepting that many of the refugees too part in genocide; cathartic nature of writing about what he’d witnessed; impact of Rwanda refugee crisis on Zaire politics, the fall of President Mobutu and the rise of Laurent Kabila; difficulty of reporting refugee crisis without resorting to emotional style adopted by BBC reporter Fergal Keane; attempting to develop the story beyond the genocide and refugee crisis, reflections on the legacy of the Rwanda genocide; assessment of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), contrasts with similar process in South Africa following Apartheid; opinion that current British Government’s view of Rwanda as a safe and stable nation is flawed; reflection on accuracy of reporting of the Rwanda genocide. REEL 24 continues: background to the second Sudanese civil war (1985 to 2005); cultural complexion of Sudanese society; Evidence of modern-day slavery in Sudan; Description of landscape of South Sudan, nature of ethnic groups; nature of conflict, use of aerial barrel-bombs; description of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), based in Kenyan border town of Lokichogio; ill-defined nature of conflict, difficulty in defining a frontline; character of Australian journalist James Schofield, his reputation for taking risks; reasons for Western media coverage of Sudanese civil war; posting to Khartoum during visit by Archbishop of Canterbury, 12/1993; attending press conferences by liberation groups based in Nairobi, including Rial Machar; British colonial legacy in Sudan; Contact with rebel forces through contacts in Nairobi; Visual nature of coverage of Sudan story; lack of development or change in the story; Primitive infrastructure in Sudan, lack of communications; close working relationship with aid agencies; contact with Mission Air Service; contact with local people; difficulty of contact with government spokespeople; impact and reputation of BBC World Service broadcasts to the region; contractual conditions as BBC East Africa Correspondent; change of role as presenter on new BBC World Service programme ‘The World Today’; career ambition at this time, financial status, supporting growing family, house move to Ash vale, Surrey; wife’s attitude to RH’s working life; birth of daughter in 1996; appointment as World Affairs Correspondent, 1996; nature of role; experience as a media instructor at military college in Accra, Ghana; entering Sierra Leone via Senegal and Guinea to report civil war; memories of border crossing and reaching Freetown; contact with ICRC, assisting them with exit visas at Guinea border. REEL 25 continues: nature of role on appointment as BBC World Affairs Correspondent, 1996; domestic circumstances; career ambitions at the time; Following United Nations Security Council Resolutions in relation to developments in the Persian Gulf; repeated tours of duty to Baghdad bureau, difficulty of access and journey; analysis of UN weapons inspection programme in Iraq following UN-SCR699, 6/1991; explanation of internal politics of Iraq, ethnic and internal conflicts during the period; impact of international sanctions on Iraqi people; character of British politician George Galloway; impact of sanctions on academic research in Iraq; slight lifting of sanctions following UN-SCR986, 4/1995; evidence of breaking of sanctions, cross-border trade; contact with UNSCOM and AEA inspectors; aid agencies were preparing for effects of military conflict, stockpiling of humanitarian supplies; ‘Cat and mouse’ nature of weapons inspection programme; Iraqi perception of UNSCOM as US; access to UNSCOM inspectors by media; contact with Iraqi government officials, management of foreign press; typical duration of tours of duty; difficulty of hot climate; opportunities for feature coverage in Kurdish areas in northern Iraq; contact with Turkman peace-keeping force in Mosul region, description of their uniforms and vehicles, nature of their mission instituted by Turkey, UK, and USA; memories of visit to Halabja; observation of fracturing of Iraq, legacy of British colonial period; Contact with BBC Arabic colleagues; editorial expectations in London newsroom; impact of UN-SCR1194 and Operation Desert Fox; seeking medical care at a Christian hospital, observation of lack of anaesthetics and medication due to sanctions. REEL 26 continues: extent of Western press representatives in Iraq during Operation Desert Fox; analysis of US political attitude towards Iraq; question of US intelligence operations within UNSCOM inspections programme; impact of Operation Desert Fox on US-UK relations, question of UK’s proxy role, explanation of underlying political doctrine espoused by British Prime Minister Tony Blair and US President Bill Clinton; United States’ ambition for ‘regime change’ in Iraq; difficulty of impartial reporting when British military personnel were involved in conflict; question of personal impartiality; analysis of regional response to Iraqi situation; nature and impact of the Palestinian ‘Second Intifada’, reporting live for BBC World Service from battle zone; poor media management by Palestinian Authority (PA) at Sharm al-Shaikh peace accords, 11/2004; complexion of political struggle between Fatah and Hamas; Attitude and influence of Jordanian government; contact with Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), their attitude to journalists; importance of using neutral language, example of use of the term ‘terrorist’, ‘occupied territories’ etc, importance of context; risk of, and reasons for, kidnap; example of kidnap of BBC journalist Alan Johnston, 3/2007; security countermeasures and personal protection provided by BBC; question of ‘acceptable risk’ when working in field; story of coming under fire while reporting from Ramallah; importance of clearly identifying as press representatives when working in conflict zones; limited ability to avoid risk; question of increasing danger for journalists; reflections on overall risk in war zones. REEL 27 continues: change in role on appointment as presenter BBC radio presenter; continuing opportunities for field work; coverage terrorist attacks in New York, 11/9/2001; logistically challenges in covering the story; posting to Afghanistan in preparation of US military campaign there; description of journey via Tajikistan; contact with Afghan Norther Alliance, receiving a gift from the ‘president’ in Fayzabad, NE Afghanistan, primitive nature of the region; description of ethnicities at a local café; significance of assassination of Ahmad Shah Massoud, 9/11/2001; progress of Taliban domination of Afghan society; BBC’s withdrawal from Afghanistan via Dushanbe; story of road accident on leaving Khujand City by taxi, nature of injuries; receiving rudimentary treatment for head injury at local clinic, further treatment at an American hospital in Tashkent; analysis of Afghan attitude following US President George Bush’s announcement of adopting a ‘war footing’; opinion of modern style of TV news coverage; analysis of path towards the 2003 Iraq War, US political and military ambitions; prospect of war when visiting Iraq in 2002, leadership referendum held in Iraq in early 2003, questioning the result at a press conference in Baghdad; momentum to war following US Secretary of State Colin Powell’s presentation of evidence of Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction at the UN Security Council, 5/2/2003; trying to hold UK Government officials to account while reporting the Azores Summit, 16/3/2003; planning entry to Iraq to cover military action starting 19/3/2003; failing to cross Jordanian border closed by US forces; gauging public and political opinion in West Bank towards the invasion of Iraq, 2003. REEL 28 continues: contrasts in nature of the Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan; security challenges in Baghdad following the war; use of private security forces by BBC and other Western media organisations; irony of less secure situation in Iraq following the war, risk presented by the Mahdi Army militia group; nature of interim government in post-war Iraq; development of terrorist threat in the west, bomb attacks in Madrid in 2004 and London in 2005; covering terrorist attacks in London, 7/7/2005; analysis of domestic political response and public opinion following attacks on UK soil; adapting style when reporting attacks in UK; impact of death of Yasser Arafat, 11/11/2004; live coverage of his funeral in Ramallah, memories of gunfire at the scene; changes in Palestinian political landscape following death of Arafat, electoral success of Hamas; impact of 2006 Lebanon War; witnessing aftermath of use of vacuum bomb at mosque in Sidon; tactical opportunities presented to Israel during the period; increased influence of Hamas, its dominance in Gaza; impact of Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, 11/2005; opinion that Gaza was ‘an open-air prison’; continuing cycles of conflict in Israel-Palestine; question of influence of BBC broadcasts to the region, competition with new Arabic media outlets. REEL 29 continues: move to BBC World Service Business Programmes unit; nature of role as live presenter of ‘Business Matters’ programme; continuing opportunities for field work, including covering the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan; question of expertise required in the role; importance of regular income following divorce in 2013; motivation for working in Business unit. Aspects of period as a journalist with Bloomberg Radio, 2019-2022: nature of role; adapting to working outside the BBC. Aspects of period as a freelance journalist with the BBC, 2022-203: motivation to continue working, enjoying ‘the magic of radio’; reflecting on the impact of journalism; self-criticism over standards and effectiveness; question of usefulness of journalists working in conflict zones; reflections on personal resilience, question of impact on personal mental health, methods of coping with trauma, contrasts with experience of military personnel; question of enfranchisement and participation in conflict situations; impact on daily life of experience of working in war zones and witnessing human suffering; observation of impact of war on colleagues’ mental health; nature of peer pressure when working in conflict zones; question of the ‘thrill’ of war; impact of work on family life; self-appraisal of career in journalism; importance of documenting personal history in IWM archive.